Faith Reflections

This semester has revealed a great deal about who I am as a researcher as well as the methodological process. In regards to my faith, I see the connections and how one influences the other. I have begun to understand my likes and dislikes of the research process, the challenges and struggles that I encounter in the research process, the areas where I need to continue to develop as a scholar, and the profound impact that my personal faith in Jesus Christ has on both how and why I engage the research process. On the surface, my projects did not seem to lend themselves to deep spiritual purposes, but after spending time in reflection, I can see how my faith profoundly affects the process of my research. The three areas that I now see as very relevant to my faith integration into my research are the areas of working with integrity, following God’s directions, and seeking to honor Him by using the skills, abilities, and resources He has given me to the fullest.

I can see how my faith was even integrated in some manner into the specific subject matter of developing a study abroad program in China. Specifically, I think that looking at study abroad in China through the lens of my faith allows me to see the importance of such developments in the spread of the truth of God’s word. By having U.S.-based campuses develop in China, more opportunities will exist for the free exchange of ideas and ideologies. By having Christian schools such as Pepperdine establish relationships with Chinese universities, both the students and faculty of these universities will have the opportunity to develop relationships that can be used by God to plant the seeds of Truth. While on the surface it seems that my research is completely secular, I see now how God could use my research to start a chain reaction of events that my lead to the spread of His Kingdom.